Amorphous Solids
Amorphous solids (Greek amorphous = no form) are made up of irregularly shaped particles. Short-range order exists in the arrangement of constituent particles (atoms, molecules, or ions) in such a solid. Only over short distances is a regular and periodically repeating pattern observed in such an arrangement.
Amorphous solids include gels, plastics, various polymers, wax, and thin films.
Difference between Crystalline and Amorphous Solids
A solid state is simply one of the states of matter. One of the many different states of matter is solid. Solids have a distinct volume, mass, and shape. Solids differ from liquids and gases in that they exhibit unique characteristics. These solid states or shapes depending on how the particles are arranged in a specific or indeterminate geometry. There are, however, a few exceptions when it comes to the particles that make up the solid material. These particles are held together by powerful forces between them, irrespective of whether they are molecular, ionic, metallic, or covalent. Crystalline solids are made up of an array of particles that are uniformly arranged and kept together by intermolecular forces. On the other hand, the particles are not arranged in regular arrays in amorphous solids.
Solids are classified into two types based on the arrangement of constituent particles:
- Crystalline solid
- Amorphous Solid